He nodded, complicated emotions flickering in his eyes for the goddess of stars. "To my guildmate Amalia, specifically, but we were there together and Safrin shared the knowledge in it with us both," he explained with a ghost of the awe of that day still lingering in his voice.
"Ahhh... well, I can believe that," he agreed to Caido's retiring from the stage, so to speak. Hubris it might be to compare himself to a god, but even just with the squabbles of the Hollowed Grounds Jigano thought he knew something of wanting to leave it all behind sometimes. Rory had already withdrawn from public life, and it was more and more tempting to join his mate in tending the farm and letting the rest of the Hollowed Ground go to hell on its own...
Not that he'd ever succumb to that temptation for more than a few weeks. He was far too meddlesome to ever be content not knowing what was happening in the world around him.
"M'lady Ingrid, Sacred Hoe of the Ice-bound Shrine, it is both an honor and a pleasure to meet you," he intoned with as much stuffy, courtly pomp as he could fit into the words. His eyes twinkled brightly with mischief above his very serious face, however, somewhat ruining the pretense of formality.
Ahhh, Zariah's name had its usual effect on those who'd dealt with the wretched Launceleyn more than once, and Jigano frowned as he nodded. "A number of the Naturals here tried to stop anyone from accessing the Spire once the Ascended creature that had been guarding it was defeated," he explained. "But the Voice did... something. Some trick or spell that put the human defenders to sleep so her Ascended could access it. They opened the door... but Zariah led the charge to the Spire's peak to release the barrier." Technically it had been 108's sacrifice that had done so at the end of that night, he thought, but 108 could never have reached that room atop the obelisk if Zariah hadn't cleared the way for them.
He nodded thoughtfully at her information on Halo. At least the mages would find some succor there, it sounded like, but her unfamiliarity with the Ascended brought a crook of a smile back to his face. "Outwardly they look fairly normal," he explained. "But if you get close you'll see that they have sharpened fangs that they can use to drink blood with. If they get your blood they can use it to... mmm... borrow? or steal, depending on if you were willing or not, your magic or animal shapes. Though only once per feeding, from what I've heard." He'd never allowed himself to be bitten and he never intended to, either. The violation of it sent shivers down his spine thinking of it. "But they don't feel pain or... much of anything, really. They lose physical sensations when they Ascend, so if you see people walking around Halo looking unbothered by the cold? Chances are pretty good that they're Ascended. Also they move faster at night, practically becoming blurs if they're running," he added with a faint grimace. He'd learned that from Lucas.
And then there was Sam, who could become invisible... but she had enough to digest at the moment as it was.
"Ahhh... well, I can believe that," he agreed to Caido's retiring from the stage, so to speak. Hubris it might be to compare himself to a god, but even just with the squabbles of the Hollowed Grounds Jigano thought he knew something of wanting to leave it all behind sometimes. Rory had already withdrawn from public life, and it was more and more tempting to join his mate in tending the farm and letting the rest of the Hollowed Ground go to hell on its own...
Not that he'd ever succumb to that temptation for more than a few weeks. He was far too meddlesome to ever be content not knowing what was happening in the world around him.
"M'lady Ingrid, Sacred Hoe of the Ice-bound Shrine, it is both an honor and a pleasure to meet you," he intoned with as much stuffy, courtly pomp as he could fit into the words. His eyes twinkled brightly with mischief above his very serious face, however, somewhat ruining the pretense of formality.
Ahhh, Zariah's name had its usual effect on those who'd dealt with the wretched Launceleyn more than once, and Jigano frowned as he nodded. "A number of the Naturals here tried to stop anyone from accessing the Spire once the Ascended creature that had been guarding it was defeated," he explained. "But the Voice did... something. Some trick or spell that put the human defenders to sleep so her Ascended could access it. They opened the door... but Zariah led the charge to the Spire's peak to release the barrier." Technically it had been 108's sacrifice that had done so at the end of that night, he thought, but 108 could never have reached that room atop the obelisk if Zariah hadn't cleared the way for them.
He nodded thoughtfully at her information on Halo. At least the mages would find some succor there, it sounded like, but her unfamiliarity with the Ascended brought a crook of a smile back to his face. "Outwardly they look fairly normal," he explained. "But if you get close you'll see that they have sharpened fangs that they can use to drink blood with. If they get your blood they can use it to... mmm... borrow? or steal, depending on if you were willing or not, your magic or animal shapes. Though only once per feeding, from what I've heard." He'd never allowed himself to be bitten and he never intended to, either. The violation of it sent shivers down his spine thinking of it. "But they don't feel pain or... much of anything, really. They lose physical sensations when they Ascend, so if you see people walking around Halo looking unbothered by the cold? Chances are pretty good that they're Ascended. Also they move faster at night, practically becoming blurs if they're running," he added with a faint grimace. He'd learned that from Lucas.
And then there was Sam, who could become invisible... but she had enough to digest at the moment as it was.
